Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1887-03-04
LITTLE JOSEPH.


the manner Of men, but in beautiful world
made bright by childish fancies and the glad
ness of life which only the loving and tender
hearted know. Perhaps the fairy tales he
had heard may have given rainbow color
ing to the rich fancies which thronged his
mind; but fancy was never too bright for fact,
nor fact to dull for romantic influence on the
daily events of his simple life. Little Joseph
was scarcely six years old when the Brownies
built their "wigwaa" near his home. To
JosePh's believing heart these people were
veritable brownies" and he was delighted.
The enchanted palace built in single night
under the influence of Aladdin's lamp was
not more interesting to his mind than was
"The Wigwam" as it gradually took shape
under the influence of the carpenters ham,
mer and saw; nor were the fortunate Aladdin
and Princess Badroulboudour more enviably
domiciled than were his new neighbors.
Joseph's home was in the sunset land on the
beautiful Willamette river. In summer, white
sailed pleasure boats, fair to see, glided gaily
Of instruments touched by the light fingers of
happy youth, was borne to the child's ears
with tales of happiness and love. Sweet
odors came from the frs and balm trees upon
the river bank; and broad spreading oaks and
graceful cottonwoods gave grateful shade to
groups Of spotless cattle. Beyond the river
farmland and upland stretched away TO the
|. fir forest with their dark robes of green
changing into tenderest hues of purple and
blue, as they approached the mountains Hood
and St. Helens, those grand snow-crowned
peaks emblcmatic of all that is noblest and
purest in human life. But Joseph did not re-
|. fleet in this way upon the mountains, did not
think of the purity they typify; only when
they were Furnished by the glories of the set
ting sun they seemed to him like fairy halls
IIhghted for revelry within, the splendors Of
which were but family suggested by the gold
en- and roseate hues which shone through
upon their snowy sides. Perhaps Joseph
had never heard that "help cometh from the
mountains" for it is not given to the child
mind to know all the sources whence good
and beautiful thoughts flow to it, but doubt
less these were his teachers in many quaint
land kind philosophers which fell with uncon-
scious grace from his young lips. Joseph
loved the feeble folk who live nearest the
his pets He knew the haunts of the craw.
fish and water nevis and spent happy hours
lexploring their secret retreats, lifting the
stones under which they were hidden and
lwatching their queer ways with the greatest
Interest. One ''nice green crawfsh" he had
Itethered upon the bank and called it his "cow'
although wherein he found resemblance tc
the bovine it was hard TO see. Every form
Iof life was sacred in Joseph's eyes, and ro lis
ciple taught of the benign Brahm, ever appre
ciated better than did this child the right tc
live in every living thing. Perhaps tht
birds knew this, for they were quite fearles!
of the quiet little figure with its Grooming
Esong that moved SO softly over the grass Of
swung in the tree tops like one of their OWL
kind. One day it was Jeseph's fortune te
find deserted birds nest in which was tin,
| egg with its promise OF life unfulflled. Full
OF pity he carried it home and put it at tn,
feet of the big white stuffed owl whose grea
dglass eyes seemed to glare protection owe
the foTlorn thing. A few days passed ans
another ramble brought to his feet a it'll,
brown bird just trying its wings; it accepted
| the child's offered finger and was carried tt
| the nest at home and the society of the owl
A tower Of green maple boughs was built a
the window and the nest secured therein, ant
the young fedgling fitted and chirped ant
ate its crumbs as happily as though its bowe
. were under the blue sky. All went well I'm
til the baby girl who shared her brother
love for the birding gave it an iljudged hui
and it lay dead. There was grief In tn
i house ''for surely nothing dies but something
mourns;" but brother love was too strong 70
. censure, so he comforted the baby and the
tearfuly laid the bird in its grave.
One morning on his way tc school tin
, snake ran across his path and was by som
i means induced to enter the bottle whic
Joseph held invitingly in its way. When h
had thus captured the reptile, compassion fc
< | it troubled his heart and his natural shyne.
and tirnidity which made him shrink from strar
c gers, was set aside and he went to q strane
bottle saying with soft, slow seriousness that h
e s'did not want the poor little thing to fret i
r self into a fever" When he arrived at tl
school grounds the Infectious pleasure of Ii
lad in his new pet spread among his compal
ions, and various bids of such wealth ,
school boys carry in their pockets, were offere
fer the snake. At length a little girl WI
had Bible offered it in exchange and II
bargain was made. Joseph was delighte
withhis new possession and visions of beaut
| fsl stories danced before him. Such storit
i from the Bible as his mother had told hin
e and such as had formed the basis Of II
e charming talks in the primary class Of the Sui
I day school, were las he suppossd1 example
II of all that was embodied between the covers
IS that sacred Book. An elder. brother who
y scholarly attainments were somewhat high
u than Joseph's, undertook the task Of readir
for him. Beginning at Genesis the readir
went on through the story of the creation, Il
e garden Of Eden, the subtle serpent and /
!, unhappy work and the dreadful sin of Cal
$ to the book of the generations Of Adam, al
K here as poetry and romance began to be 10
= in hard names the childs faith began to stru
P gle with WEAKNESS. AT length an unmista
S able look Of fatigue and disappointment can
$. over Joseph's face, and with a sigh he CO
Y, fessed that he ''dldn't know the Bible was Iii
'e that"
le When he has grown older and has learnt
$, that the inmost Of life has more need of {
s. Spirits teaching than Of fairy romance,
le will look again for instruction in the old Bib
I'd which now he cannot understand. Until til
we will leave him with his pets of the vii